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How Endocannabinoid Deficiency May Explain Headaches & Migraines

Migraines and headaches are so common, nearly every person will experience one at some point. In fact, it’s been said that 80-90% of people will experience a tension headache at some point in their life. That’s not to mention any chronic headaches, migraines, or other types. Amazingly, there is over 157 million work hours missed each year due to migraines! To put that last figure in perspective: If a single person had to endure a migraine for that many hours, they wouldn’t be relieved of it for almost 18,000 years!

This study from PubMed states that migraines influence the endocannabinoid system’s (ECS) function in many ways. It has found that cannabinoids demonstrate dopamine-blocking and anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, “Cannabinoids have similarly demonstrated the ability to block spinal, peripheral and gastrointestinal mechanisms that promote pain in headache.”

Migraines, among other conditions were found to:

“display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines.”

So, we may be able to relieve the pain from headaches/migraines by treating ourselves with natural medicines/supplements like cannabinoids. If some headaches are actually caused by a deficiency in certain substances to one of our body systems, shouldn’t that be an easy fix? Could it really be as simple as feeding our ECS with different cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD).

“Although the exact ECS-dependent mechanisms underlying migraine are not fully understood, the available results strongly suggest that activation of ECS could represent a promising therapeutical tool for reducing both the physiological and inflammatory components of pain that are likely involved in migraine attacks.”

Other studies, mentioned in the one above, suggest that the ECS is centrally and peripherally involved in processing pain signals. So, not only can our ECS possibly be directly related to headaches and migraines by being deficient in cannabinoids, but it may also be able to reduce the pain caused by these conditions.

Tisha Casida (in a Hemp Field of Colorado) Founder of That's Natural! and a staunch advocate of Food & Medicine Freedom. She has owned her own small business for nine years, and as a former candidate for Congress, has first-hand knowledge of policy issues and solutions for Coloradans.